Appl Clin Inform 2021; 12(04): 768-773
DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1733850
Research Article

The Effect of WeChat on Parental Care Burden, Anxiety, and Depression in Children after CHD Surgery during COVID-19 Pandemic

Qi-Liang Zhang
1   Department of Cardiac Surgery, Fujian Branch of Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Fuzhou, China
2   Cardiac Surgery, Fujian Children's Hospital, Fuzhou, China
3   Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
4   Fujian Key Laboratory of Women and Children's Critical Diseases Research, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Fuzhou, China
,
Jian-Feng Liu
1   Department of Cardiac Surgery, Fujian Branch of Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Fuzhou, China
2   Cardiac Surgery, Fujian Children's Hospital, Fuzhou, China
3   Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
4   Fujian Key Laboratory of Women and Children's Critical Diseases Research, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Fuzhou, China
,
Wen-Peng Xie
1   Department of Cardiac Surgery, Fujian Branch of Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Fuzhou, China
2   Cardiac Surgery, Fujian Children's Hospital, Fuzhou, China
3   Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
4   Fujian Key Laboratory of Women and Children's Critical Diseases Research, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Fuzhou, China
,
Hua Cao*
1   Department of Cardiac Surgery, Fujian Branch of Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Fuzhou, China
2   Cardiac Surgery, Fujian Children's Hospital, Fuzhou, China
3   Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
4   Fujian Key Laboratory of Women and Children's Critical Diseases Research, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Fuzhou, China
,
Qiang Chen*
1   Department of Cardiac Surgery, Fujian Branch of Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Fuzhou, China
2   Cardiac Surgery, Fujian Children's Hospital, Fuzhou, China
3   Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
4   Fujian Key Laboratory of Women and Children's Critical Diseases Research, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Fuzhou, China
› Author Affiliations
Funding None.

Abstract

Objectives This study aimed to explore the effect of applying WeChat in the follow-up and health education of children after congenital heart disease (CHD) surgery during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic.

Methods Data from 135 children were retrospectively analyzed. The care burden, anxiety, depression, and satisfaction of the parents of patients at home were analyzed and compared.

Results One month after discharge, the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI), and Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire-18 scores of the WeChat follow-up group were significantly better than those of the outpatient follow-up group (p < 0.05). Compared with the discharge time, the SAS, SDS, and ZBI scores were significantly improved in the WeChat follow-up group but not in the outpatient follow-up group (p < 0.05).

Conclusion During the COVID-19 epidemic, the application of WeChat to the follow-up management of children after CHD surgery can effectively reduce care burden and relieve anxiety and depression in parents at home. It can also improve the satisfaction of parents with medical treatment.

Protection of Human and Animal Subjects

The project was deemed not human subjects research and received exempt approval by the ethics committee of our hospital.


Note

This study was approved by the ethics committee of our hospital and strictly adhered to the tenets of the Declaration of Helsinki (code of ethical approval for scientific research project: 2019 ethical scientific research approval no. 2020KY039). In addition, all patients' guardians signed an informed consent form before the study. The datasets used and analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.


Author Contributions

Z.Q.L., C.Q., and C.H. designed the study, collected the clinical data, performed the date analysis, drafted the manuscript, and revised the article. L.J.F. and X.W.P. collected the clinical data and drafted the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.


* These authors shared the corresponding authorship.




Publication History

Received: 02 April 2021

Accepted: 29 June 2021

Article published online:
18 August 2021

© 2021. Thieme. All rights reserved.

Georg Thieme Verlag KG
Rüdigerstraße 14, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany

 
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